Hey Folks,
In “Of Interest” today is an interesting article titled “Micro-Progress Your Novel.”
Despite the high-falutin’ title, the article is all about eating an elephant one bite at a time.
Instead of trying to “write a novel” (which the author of the post calls a “daunting prospect”), the idea is to set a series of smaller goals, like writing for a particular length of time (or number of words) per day or writing a scene. Or, I suppose, simply writing the next sentence.
Sound familiar?
Yeah, it sounds familiar to me too. But now that the process has a chique new cutting-edge name, complete with a noun used as a verb (“progress” your novel) maybe more folks will try it. (grin)
Sigh. Whatever works. Anyway, if they do try it, especially if in conjunction with setting smaller, more easily attainable goals, they
● learn to quiet their critical mind,
● come to understand that writing is play (not “work” or “drudgery” and not a calling from on high), and
● learn that writing, but not the particular story or novel is “important,”
maybe they’ll Just Write.
And when that happens, they’ll be amazed to learn that writing a novel isn’t a daunting prospect at all.
It’s actually a great deal of fun.
But all kidding aside, the article helped me too. It helped me to see past the end of my nose, to remember things I’ve known for a long time.
I even saw myself and my own “problem” in the fifth paragraph. And this morning, before I even started on this Journal entry, I started correcting my situation.
Last night I was watching a rerun of an old Peter Gunn episode. Really hokey. Not all that well-written, with a thin plot. The best part was the language the actors used.
I looked at my wife and said, “Y’know, I have a lot of things boiling around in my head right now, but I’d really like to write another PI/noir novel.”
Yes, I want to write a thriller series. Eventually. But I know I’m not ready for that yet, craft-wise. And I have an SF novel, expanded from a short story, waiting in the wings. And I have a crime/mystery thing likewise standing stage right twiddling its thumbs.
But I’d actually forgotten about the last PI/noir novel I started, I don’t know, maybe six months ago.
So this morning, I opened it, dusted it off, poured my main character a fresh drink of cheap whiskey, and started writing fiction again.
It was only around 11,000 words when I set it aside. So it’s still a brand-new story.
All I know right now is that it has a typical tough-guy PI who’s trying to make ends meet, a corrupt mayor and city attorney, gangsters, and a smokin’ hot blonde who’s a great deal more than she seems.
And my personal trademark as a writer will be there too — the reader will feel as if he’s in the scene with the characters as the action unfolds. (grin)
I’m sure looking forward to seeing where it goes.
***
Man, I’m like a kid with a shiny new toy.
Mostly today (among several other things) I cycled back through what I’d already written and touched the story here and there, adding a few hundred words.
Then I wrote a few new scenes. All in all, not a bad first day back.
Back tomorrow.
Of Interest
See “Micro-Progress Your Novel” at https://killzoneblog.com/2018/02/micro-progress-your-novel.html. Now that it has a chique, left-sounding name, maybe folks will try it. (grin)
See “How to Collaborate Effectively with Other Indie Authors In Your Genre” at https://selfpublishingadvice.org/writing-how-to-collaborate-effectively-with-other-indie-authors-in-your-genre/.
Fiction Words: 2008
Nonfiction Words: 610
So total words for the day: 2618
Writing of Pulp 6 (working title)
Brought forward…… 11,008 words
Day 1…… 2008 words. Total words to date…… 13016
Total fiction words for the month……… 10201
Total fiction words for the year………… 48357
Total nonfiction words for the month… 10570
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 18590
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 66947
Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 1
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 0
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 28
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 4
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 182